The Multilateral Investment Fund announced the approval today of $845,000 grant to support greater competitiveness and sustainable development of the tourism industry in Valle del Cauca, Colombia.
The program will focus on assisting 150 microenterprises and 450 potential entrepreneurs in rural communities of Territorio Paraíso, a popular tourist attraction in Valle del Cauca, that offers natural scenery and cultural heritage, drawing about 3.3 million visitors a year.
The Fundación Carvajal, a Colombian nonprofit organization established in 1961, will carry out the project with the assistance of the Territorio Paraíso Partnership, which includes the Valle del Cauca provincial government; the Corporación Regional Autónoma del Valle del Cauca; the Asociación del Valle del Cauca; the municipal governments of Ginebra, El Cerrito, Guacarí and Palmira; the Asociación Hotelera del Valle del Cauca; the Chambers of Commerce of Cali, Buga and Palmira; and the Providencia Sugar Mill.
The project will invest in development of high-quality tourism products and services, development of an environmental protection process, promotion and marketing of Territorio Paraíso as a tourism destination and evaluation and dissemination of the project results. Tourism information, health standards, partnerships, mapping and business partnerships will be expanded and upgraded. Training will be provided to local entrepreneurs and government officials on strategies, action plans and other activities that will generate sustainable growth in the tourism sector.